Reflections

I spent last week with 23 amazing teachers and principals, and five other instructors delilvering our technology professional development program. The focus of our program is to help teachers to integrate technology appropriately into their curriulum and student learning activities. This is the eleventh year offering this program and we have four groups this year. We work with each group for five days during the summer and then six more days during the school year.
Folks come in wherever they are with the technology. The teachers range from being in their second or third year of teaching to veterans of 20 years or more and they bring as wide a range of skills with them. Many of the younger teachers have a consdierable level of technology skills but little understanding of how to integrate technology in a meaningful way that will positively impact student learning. Others have minimal tech skills but a deep understanding of curriculum. It is so exciting to observe the progress they make during the week - truly amazing!
Today we are starting with a new group - these teachers came to their first session four years ago and have returned this year for the 2.0 version which is building on their previous skills and integrating web 2.0 tools. I can't wait to see what they will create this week!